Buns, Puns and a sprinkling of Sabotage
by misplacedshadow
Summary: "Who leaves ice-cream out of the freezer?" "Your ice-cream... it's a weakness" In which Leo Fitz really wants to just make it to the next week in Great British Bake Off and maybe getting to know Jemma Simmons a little better wouldn't hurt either. But that's not quite what Grant Ward, Baked Alaska Saboteur has in mind. Based on the real Bincident of GBBO 2014
1. Chapter 1

**Ok so after the outrage at the real bincident on Great British Bake Off last night, this Fitzsimmons AU wouldn't leave me alone. All of the team fits in, with Fitz, Jemma and Ward as Bakers, Phil as Paul Hollywood, May as Mary Berry, Skye as Sue and Trip as the only one who doesnt fit in as Mel.**

** If you've never seen GBBO before I highly recommend you go and watch it, honestly you will never believe you could be so passionate (and stressed) over cake!**  
**The second part is already written as has eventual Fitzsimmons fluff for you. Any mistakes are mine, let me know and I'll try and fix them!**

**I don't own Agents of Shield or Great British Bake Off.**

* * *

"He's Trip"

"And she's Skye"

"And _welcome _to the Great British Bake Off!"

Fitz jerked out of his stupor as the two presenters quickly recapped the events of the previous day. It was week four of the competition and the rivalry between the bakers was quickly heating up.

_Much like the temperature in here_ Fitz thought as he pushed his curls away from his damp forehead. It was the hottest day of the year so far and inside the white summer tent it felt like a sauna. After struggling through the exceptionally warm British weather yesterday, the bakers had arrived today dressed in much more appropriate clothing and that was the sole reason for Fitz's distraction.

Situated at the station across from him, dressed in cut off denim shorts and a tight fitted camisole, was the gorgeous Jemma Simmons. Ever since they first stepped into the bake off tent, the quiet English girl had caught his eye. She'd politely approached him during the first Technical Challenge to borrow a whisk because she had misplaced hers, and introduced herself at the same time.

Graduated early from school and now studying for her second PHD in Biochem at Oxford, she found Baking to be a good way to relax. Baking was just like Chemistry, she reasoned. Fitz was surprised at the similarities between their backgrounds, like most of the other bakers he expected her to be a teacher or a parent or just someone rather... average.

He himself was a post-graduate student, admittedly only on his first PHD, in Engineering at the University of St Andrews. He also had finished secondary school early and was surprised to find out that they'd both attended the same Summer School at Oxford.

To find someone else with a rival and maybe ever higher intelligence than him who also loved to bake... well the chances were slim to say the least. Fitz knew he'd probably never have this opportunity again, and despite his inherent awkwardness made an effort to chat and joke with her each week. She was hard-working and intelligent with a sharp wit lingering under the surface, and Fitz found his thoughts drifting to Jemma Simmons more often than not.

And the fact she looked like the quintessential English Rose didn't hurt either. Chestnut hair fell in waves past her shoulders and a smattering of freckles could be seen above her t shirt. The pale skin of her shoulders gave off a rosy tint, evidence of evenings spent enjoying the surprisingly glorious spring weather. But what attracted him most of all to her was her smile. Wide and full, when she smiled it was like sunshine. Even in the short space of four weeks Fitz had become determined to see that smile as much as he could, making jokes as they waited for their cakes to bake or winking at her every time Skye made a baking pun.

"So after yesterdays Tiramisu Troubles in the Technical Challenge, we're here to present to you the final challenge of the week, the Show-Stopper Challenge."

Fitz realised far too late he had been staring at Jemma and quickly shifted to look at Trip and Skye, hoping she hadn't noticed. And they were talking about today's task and he really needed to focus if he had any chance of getting through to the next week.

"Today we want you to make something fabulously retro. It's a Baked Alaska. We're talking sponge, frozen centre, meringue coating. You have four and a half hours" Trip announced to the Bakers.

"And of course, the Baking Gods themselves will be here to judge your masterpieces. Hollywood's crème de la crème, Phil Coulson. Tasting one of his cakes is like dying and going to heaven. Then coming back to life to do it all over again. And then of course we have the Queen of Baking, in fact Queen of the World, a woman who when she slices onions, makes the onions cry. We are of course talking about the marvellous, magnificent Melinda May!"

Fitz shot a look at the two judges, swallowing down a gulp as he thought back to yesterday's performance. The Signature Challenge had gone better than he had expected, both Phil and May had given him excellent praise for his Chocolate, Raspberry and Lime fondants but he had screwed up in the technical challenge, his Tiramisu ending up in a miserable 6th place. He'd scraped by the last few weeks by the skin of his teeth and knew he had to pull something remarkable out of the bag if he didn't want to be sent home.

The only person who he knew was in the same position as him was the baker at the station behind him, Grant Ward. The cold, imposing man had rarely said a word to him the entire competition, aside from blunt requests to move his cakes over so he could fit his on the judging table or the occasional yes or no if Fitz dared to ask him a question. He didn't even know what Ward did, he offered up no personal titbits during any of the interviews, exclusively talking about his cake and falling into a brooding silence in between.

_Maybe he's a secret Agent_ thought Fitz. _FBI or CIA or something like that... He looks like one of those James Bond type macho men._

Ward was the only person to do worse than him in the Technical Challenge, coming 7th and he knew his Orange and Lemon Curd Pots had not overly impressed Phil and May yesterday. If Fitz could just stay one step ahead of Ward today he might beat the unfeeling American.

"On your marks"

"Get set"

"BAKE" Skye and Trip yelled in unison, with Skye adding "And freeze! Well, don't literally freeze... Not that you could in this heat anyway... Oh, just make your ice cream"

Shaking his head at Skye's terrible pun, he quickly flipped into his 'scientist mode' focusing in on his task and playing through the recipe in his head. Muttering under his breath as he ordered his ingredients by usage, he plucked at his t-shirt, damp with sweat as the temperature of the tent continued to rise as the ovens began to fire up.

"It's the hottest day of the year so far and they're going to have to keep their cool" May was talking into the camera on the far side of Jemma's station. The biochemist herself had swept her hair up into a messy bun, but a few tendrils had escaped and were stuck to her red face. The odd bead of sweat trickled down her skin and Fitz was transfixed on one that made its way down her neck and chest.

"Fitz? Are you ok?"

His gaze was broken as he realised Jemma was watching him with a frown on his face and he quickly shifted his eyes to her face, his own blushing even deeper red as he stammered out, "Oh umm, yeah I was just admiring your jugs. I... I mean no, I meant they're nice and big... um... no, uh to whisk the egg whites in for the meringue"

Jemma cocked an eyebrow at him as he tripped over his words but held her paisley patterned jug out to him, "You can borrow it if you want?"

"Oh no, I couldn't do that, I couldn't touch your jugs, I mean, mine are perfectly fine, I..." Fitz stammered, nervously wiping his damp forehead with his hand "It's hot in here isn't it" he said, desperately changing the subject.

"It's ridiculous isn't it? The thermometer says its 25 degrees in here! We've got to be extra careful with the ice cream and make sure we get it in that freezer!" She says this half to him, but half to the camera that has now moved in front of her with Phil and May close behind. As she begins to tell them about her Key Lime Alaska Pie, Fitz shakes his head quickly trying to erase that embarrassing conversation from his mind and concentrate on his own Baked Alaska.

By the time the camera and the judges make it to Fitz's station, his 100% Cocoa sponge is in the oven and he is whipping up his Black Sesame Seed ice cream. He quickly explains that whilst it is not the most appealing looking ice cream, its flavour really is delicious and Phil agrees that combined with the Chocolate Sponge and Coffee Caramel meringue, it sounds like a winner.

Fitz smirks slightly as he bends to check on his sponge, and catches a glimpse of Ward frowning at him out of the corner of his eye. The smile slowly slides off his face as he straightens up and turns around to nod at the fellow baker.

Instead of acknowledging him Ward scowls and drops his eyes to the bowl in front of him where he is piping his Meringues onto baking parchment. He is making a Raspberry Ripple Alaska Swan apparently, Fitz hears him telling Phil and May. As he eavesdrops he learns Ward's meringue swans have only successfully worked once out of ten tries and a small smirk makes its way back on to his face.

The timer on his buzzer dings and he carefully arranges his sponge on top of the semi-frozen ice cream mixture and carries the bowl to the freezer. Norman and Kate are both clustered round the freezer designated for his stations and unwilling to let his ice cream melt into a puddle in the heat as he waits for them to move, he slides his dessert into the freezer next to his.

Back at his station he immediately starts working on his meringues, half-heartedly throwing banter back and forth with Skye as she sniffs round each contestant. She snaffles a piece of spare chocolate sponge and if Fitz didn't know that she was in a solid relationship with fellow presenter Trip, he would have thought Skye was going to propose to him then and there. "Leopold Fitz, I want you to stay in this competition for so many reasons, not just for that beautiful Scottish accent but so you can make me this gorgeous chocolate cake every day."

Fitz jumps as something glides past his waist and he whirls round to see Jemma sneaking an arm past him to grab a piece of his sponge cut-offs. "It certainly tastes delicious" she replies, scrunching her nose at him before flashing _that _smile at him.

They chat amicably for the next ten minutes, both at a stalemate with the rest of their desserts prepared and waiting for the ice cream to freeze. At one point Fitz thinks Jemma might be flirting with him and when her buzzer sounds, she gives him a disappointed face and calls out "we'll chat later" as she briskly moves to her station to finish her dessert.

So caught up in his conversation with Jemma, Fitz had failed to notice the commotion going on behind him.

Ward had watched Fitz's every move, as the irritating curly-haired Scotsman had bragged to the judges about his "amaaaaaaaaaaazing ice-cream" and then brazenly flirted with the pretty girl working next to him, talking some gibberish about dwarves and some den-toxin thingy.

Checking on his swan-shaped meringues, Ward sighed as it looked like some of them were splitting in the oven. Exasperated he grabbed his ice-cream to take to the freezer and opened it to find someone else's ice cream already in his spot.

"Who's is this?" Ward questions, vaguely aiming it at Nancy who is also sharing his freezer.

"Fitz's I think" she replies, too focused on her own Baked Alaska to look up properly.

Swapping the two tubs so Ward's is inside on the shelf and Fitz's is in his hand, he looks towards the Scottish baker. The nerd is so busy drooling over Jemma that he doesn't even realise Ward has his ice-cream.

He wouldn't even notice if Ward didn't put it back... And in this heat it would most definitely melt... and Fitz would have to be kicked out of the competition with a disaster like that.

Surreptitiously glancing around to make sure no-one is watching, an easy task for a government spy like him, he places Fitz's tin of ice-cream on the end of his workbench near the freezer and quickly proceeds with trying to fix his misshapen meringue swans.

"15 minutes left on this Baked Alaska ride everybody, 15 minutes!" Skye yells.

The call prompts Fitz into action, now all he has left is to pipe his Coffee Caramel meringue onto his dessert and he's ready to go. He can feel the tension rising in the tent as everyone starts to rush to finish their dessert. Opening the fridge door he stares in confusion as he realises his tin is not there.

"Where's my ice-cream?"


	2. Chapter 2

**So here's part two for you! And gosh even more drama in the real GBBO with the saboteur quitting the show! The dessert pun credit goes to my friend Emily and you've got my other friend Zoe to thank for the ending... I did not plan for it go that way at all until I got to it and she told me to go for it... I'll let you make your own minds up whether you like it or not. Reviews are like cake, they're awesome ;)  
**

**As per, I do not own Agents of SHIELD or Great British Bake Off**

* * *

_II: Just Desserts_

Fitz's horrified shout could be heard all round the tent. "Where the hell has my ice-cream gone?" he exclaimed, staring aghast at the freezer.

Ward quickly glanced to the end of his work bench, as if pretending to notice it for the first time.

"It's here Fitz, sorry we, uh..." he lied effortlessly, pretending to stumble over his words with the utmost ease. His mumblings were cut short as Fitz let out a loud shout of frustration, marching over to swipe his tin out of Ward's hands.

"What's happened?" cried Skye, jogging over pulling Trip by the hand after hearing the commotion.

"Someone took it out the freezer and it's all melted... why, why, why would you take ice-cream out of the freezer?" he half-yelled in despair, turning to glare at Ward as he deposited his melted dessert on the bench.

"It shouldn't have been in someone else's freezer... Your ice-cream, it's a weakness..." Ward tailed off, pretending to be focused on his creation, refusing to involve himself or take any blame.

Skye was crowded round behind Fitz, hand resting on his shoulder. She peered concernedly round him, "How's it looking? Oh... soup."

Fitz shook his head in defeat, "the only reason it's staying together is because I put the tin around it to hold its shape." Sighing, he quickly removes the tin, wincing as inevitably the dessert melts into a sludge-like mess.

"Ok," Skye's voice is chipper, "Let's think how we can present that..." she throws her hands in the air as if to pluck some creative idea out of thin air.

He feels another hand gently on his shoulder and turns, Jemma is standing next to him, biting her lip and brow furrowed in concern.

"Fitz what happened?"

"I... No, Someone," he shoots a death glare at Ward behind him, "Someone took my ice-cream out of the freezer! And now it's ruined! How the heck am I meant to present this?"

"Why would someone do that?" Jemma retorted horrified. "But we can fix it. Together."

Fitz smiles sadly at Jemma, his heart swelling momentarily at her offer "I don't know how, Jemma."

Jemma stares at him, at a loss for what to say, the sabotaged dessert slowly dripping off the bench and onto the floor.

"There's no way to fix this" he mutters, quickly picking the whole board up and whisking it off to the bin.

Her eyes widen in alarm and Skye literally throws herself at Fitz to try and stop him, but he has emptied the whole dessert, sponge as well as ice-cream into the bin.

"Fitz!" Skye exclaims, shaking his shoulders roughly, "we could have _fitzed_ it!"

"Skye, this is no time for puns!" Trip hisses, attempting to grab her arm whilst remain cool and collected for the cameras.

"But my watch says it's pun o'clock!" she smirks, shoving her arm into Trip's face. Sighing he drags her away before Fitz throws Skye in the bin along with his dessert.

"Fitz..." Jemma whispers, slowly reaching out to touch the Scotsman who had been propping himself up against the bench, his head bowed and breathing heavy.

He shakes his arm out of her grasp with a huff and after seeing Ward staring at him smirking, _Look at him the smarmy git,_ and before Fitz loses his rag and tries to swing a punch at the duplicitous backstabber he storms out of the tent into the gardens.

* * *

"Fitz, would you like to present your Baked Alaska to Phil and May please."

Sighing, shoulders slumped in defeat, but refusing to let Ward see he'd broken him, he grabbed the bin containing his sabotaged dessert and carted it up in front of the judges.

Phil, dressed as always in his full suit, raises an eyebrow at him before calmly asking "Can you tell us about your Baked Alaska please?"

He gulps, eyes flitting between the confusion on Phil's face and the stony expression on May's, her expression as ever giving nothing away.

"I... There was a problem with my ice-cream and I threw it in the bin because I couldn't present it as it was"

"Well was there a problem with your sponge?" Phil questioned, not waiting for a reply. "Was there a problem with your meringue?"

"No." Fitz muttered, looking at his shoes, feeling like a little boy being scolded by his father. But as much as he wanted to, he was unable to tell them what had truly happened, settling on a partial truth instead. "The ice-cream was left outside the freezer and it melted. It was a mess. I'd rather present nothing than that. Maybe that was a mistake but it was a moment of madness and I can't take it back."

"You were doing so well today Fitz" Phil sighed, shaking his head at the boy.

"I know it was spur of the moment but this sort of behaviour is truly unacceptable." May piped up, though her eyes seemed to be trained on Ward rather than Fitz.

"I understand" Fitz said, slowly slipping back to his work bench, stubbornly avoiding the pity-filled looks Jemma was sending towards him.

* * *

"Well bakers, it's been another rollercoaster of a week and I think we've all learned why Desserts spelled backwards is Stressed!" Skye announces in front of the bakers who are all perched on their chairs, waiting for the results of the Dessert challenge.

"And this week's star baker goes to... Jemma, for the second time!" Not surprised, Fitz nudges Jemma who's sitting next to him, smiling at her so she knows he's not bitter. She deserves it and it's worth it just to see her beam that beautiful smile.

"Sadly, I get the less than pleasant job of sending one of you home today, and we're all so sorry that it's due to a moment of madness... Fitz, you're going home, so sorry..." Trip shoots him a sorrowful look, thumping him on the back whilst Skye runs over and sweeps him into a hug as all the other contestants gather round him.

"I'm so sorry Fitz" Jemma whispers in his ear as she squeezes amongst the throng to throw her arms round him and pull him close to her.

"It's ok" he responds, because at this moment Jemma Simmons is hugging him and who cares about baking cakes because a gorgeous woman has just kissed him on the cheek and is hugging him much tighter than any acquaintances should do. When she finally breaks off the hug and he's fended off the other competitors, he nods to the door of the tent and mutters about getting some air.

* * *

Fitz has been sat outside for half an hour now, cross-legged on the grass as he watches a squirrel run across the lawn and up a tree, idly picking at blades of grass as he thinks. The sun is setting so the temperature is much milder, making it actually pleasant to sit outside in. He is so lost in the tranquillity of the gardens that he fails to hear her approach until she sits down next to him, placing a large plastic tub in front of her and nudging him with her elbow.

In silence, she popped the lid off to reveal two large slices of her own Key Lime Baked Alaska Pie, complete with paper plate and plastic fork. Without even asking she selected the smaller piece for herself before handing him the larger slice.

Smiling lightly, he took the plate and helped himself to a large bite, savouring the delicious flavours of the lime and the meringue, and luxurious ice-cream.

"This is delicious. You truly deserve Star Baker, Jem." he says quietly, only half conscious of the nickname slipping out and by then it's too late.

If she notices the slip-up it doesn't show, because all she can say in return is "I told them what happened. I told them that Ward sabotaged the Ice-Cream on purpose, that it was no accident. It's not fair for you to get punished like that when he's getting away scot-free for his crimes." Her face is indignant by the end of the rant but all he can see is the smidgen of cream in the corner of her mouth and all he can think of is reaching out and wiping it off.

"It's ok, honestly. It's just a baking show. It's not like I was going to give up engineering to sell cakes full time. It was a challenge, and a great experience and I got to meet some amazing people" he says, smiling properly for the first time at her.

"I wouldn't have gotten to meet you..." he whispers, his voice trailing off as he blushes and drops his gaze down to the pudding in his lap.

"It's strange to think that all that time ago, at summer school in Oxford we could have met and known each other for years by now. All those potential memories and moments vanish due to chance. I wish I'd met you then Fitz. Because in these last four weeks I feel I've gotten to know you better than I've known anyone my entire life. I like you Leo Fitz. I like you a lot."

Her confession hangs in the air and he is frozen, his brain scrambling to process what has been said and what he needs to do. He knows what he wants to do but he's scared, what if she doesn't mean it like _that_, what if she just wants to be friends, what if she wants more than that but then he doesn't do anything and she takes it the wrong way...

Before he can say anything he feels a hand brush over his, feels small delicate fingers entwine with his. He looks up and she is smiling and all he can see is sunshine and her hair glows in the setting sun and she looks like an angel and he knows if he doesn't act he will regret this moment for the rest of his life.

The kiss is simple and chaste, and when their lips part he gently wipes away the smear of cream from her mouth and all he can say is "I like you too."

She is smiling and it is sunshine and she is kissing him and he is oblivious to everything around him because Jemma Simmons is kissing him!

* * *

"Told you it would work Ward." He knows she is smirking just from the smug tone of her voice, refusing to look at her as she comes to stand next to him by the window.

In front of him Fitz and Jemma are lying on the grass, hands intertwined and occasionally making out like teenagers, unaware of the fact they have been set up.

"I never fail my missions" he responds, arms folded tightly across his chest.

"Well duh, had you seen how they'd been staring at each other? He's been giving her puppy dog eyes for weeks! Anyway, chill out Ward, it was just a bit of fun! A distraction whilst we wait for the real bad guy to show up. You can kick back on a mission you know Robot".

"Skye..." he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "SHIELD set up this whole debacle so they could uncover a serial poison-er, not so we could get some a scientist and a nerdy scot together. It's bad enough I have to bake, never mind be some matchmaker."

"Whatever, you still owe me fifty bucks. Anyway there was slightly more to it than that... They're both like freakishly-genius smart scientists and I know Coulson has been looking to recruit someone for the lab positions on the team... And he thought they'd work better as a team and I agree. So really you should be more welcoming of your new teammates. See you next week Ward!" Skye calls over her shoulder as she flounces out of the tent.

He watches through the window as the hacker-come-presenter passes the two lovebirds, almost smiling as she calls out to the two,

"I think Fitzsimmons has a nice ring to it!"

_Fin_


End file.
